Buying a used car? Well, says Dominic Coyle, check itout thoroughly, and do remember that 'caveat emptor' still applies
Car sales rode the back of the Celtic Tiger in the late 1990s as optimistic consumers got into the habit of regularly upgrading their cars. The one downside for the market was the glut of used cars. The declining fortunes of the economy have brought new life to this end of the market but customers, weaned on the "Arfur Daly" caricature, remain wary of buying a pup. So what should you know and do when sizing up a prospective purchase of a car either from a garage or a private seller?
Have the car checked independently before committing yourself to a purchase. People often balk at the price of such a check-up but, at up to €360, it will prove considerably cheaper than putting things right if unexpected problems emerge later on. No reputable seller will object to such a check-up; if it becomes an issue, walk away from the sale. Such independent assessments are probably most important when buying from a private seller as the buyer has less protection under the law in such cases.
Make sure the car is the vendor's to sell. In particular, check for yourself that there is no hire-purchase agreement outstanding on the car. If there is, the car belongs to the leasing company and can be repossessed regardless of the good faith in which it was purchased by an unwary buyer. There is no way of knowing this from the vehicle itself but you can contact the Hire Purchase Centre at 01-260 0905, which will confirm whether it is unencumbered by debt.
With private sales, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. The car may be stolen. If in doubt, check with the police or an independent assessor to ensure the car is not listed as stolen or has not been altered to conceal its true identity.
Beware unregistered dealers. This is a particular problem with cars sold through the small ads. The best way to satisfy yourself that you are not dealing with an unregistered dealer is: a) call around to the vendor's address if possible. If there is only the one car around, you are probably okay. If, however, there is a number of cars, you may well be dealing with an unregistered dealer; b) when answering a small advertisement by phone, simply say you are asking about the car. If the seller has to ask which car, you are better off avoiding it.
Check the car's history. The easiest way to do this is to check the log book, if there is one.
This should show who has bought the car and when. It is a legal requirement that each owner have the log book (registration document) updated with the Department of the Environment and Local Government.
Importantly, if a private vendor's name and address do not appear in the book, you should be concerned that they are selling on a car that they themselves have only recently bought.
Don't be afraid to contact a previous owner. They will undoubtedly know more about the car and its history than any garage.
Service records should also give a good idea of the mechanical history of the car and the care it has been given as well as confirming basic details like mileage. Certain reassurance can be gleaned from the presence of recent National Car Test disc.
Additional information will emerge from the NCT report issued with the disc, which should be available.
If the car is being sold by one of the nearly 2,000 garages affiliated to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), you can be reassured that the garage will have to let you know if it is aware the car has been in a crash. Otherwise check the car body for evidence of panel beating or replacement panels or bumpers.
Check for subtle differences in colouring due to respraying, especially on the underside of the bonnet and boot and in the door-sills. A crashed car is not necessarily a bad car, but it is important to know the nature and scale of any damage.
Examine the guarantee. This is not likely to be an issue with a private buyer, where guarantees are rare, but most garages will offer some guarantee with second-hand car sales, generally for about three months. Don't fall for the patter - regularly heard in advertising that cars are covered by some dealer cover or other - check it out. Be sure you know what exactly the guarantee covers, and make sure you get it in writing before completing the purchase.
Be aware too that buyers have certain consumer rights protected under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980. Also, SIMI garages - identifiable by the "double arrow" logo on a blue background - have signed up to a code of practice complete with an arbitration scheme in case of complaints.
Test drive the car. This sounds so obvious but it is amazing how often people get so caught up in all the other checks and paperwork that they forget to give the car a run before paying over good money.
When it comes to ensuring the car "feels" right, there is no substitute to a test drive. While the owner or garage will probably want to accompany you, don't get distracted during the test drive. You are looking for anything that does not feel right or listening for unexplained bangs, squeaks or rattles.